Device for removing ferrules and for inserting plugs in water-mains under pressure.



N0. 807,663. PATENTED DEC. 19, 1905. W. B. DALBY & W. E. RICHARDS.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING PERRULES AND FOR INSERTING PLUGS IN WATER MAINSUNDER PRESSURE.

APPLIOATION FILED JUNE 10,1905.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

WILLIAM B. DALEY AND WINDSOR E. RICHARDS, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

DEVICE FOR REMOVING FERRULES AND FOR INSERTING PLUGS IN WATER-MAINSUNDER PRESSURE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 19, 1905.

Application filed June 10, 1905. Serial No. 264,584.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, WILLIAM B. DALEY and WINDSOR E. RICHARDS, citizensof the United States, and residents of Cleveland, county of-Cuyahoga,State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inDevices for Removing Ferrules and for Inserting Plugs in Water-MainsUnder Pressure, of which we hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and exact description, such as will enable others skilled in theart to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention has for its objects to provide means for removing a sidewater connection from a Water-main and for afterward plugging theopening in the main without overflow of the water from the opening andwithout loss of time required for closing the valves in the main whilethe opening is being closed.

Heretofore much loss of time has been occasioned, and the use of waterhas been suspended in the district supplied by the main wheneverplugging connections have been removed. Hence the loss of a great amountof water and inconvenience occasioned thereby should be prevented. Theshutting off of a water-supply occasioned by closing a watermain oftenresults in shutting down factories containing boilers, shuts off allhouse connections in that district, and also causes risk in case offire. With this improved device, however, the escape of water isprevented, and

also the time consumed in withdrawing the connections and placing theplug in the vacated hole in the main is saved, and the objectionablefeature of loss of water-supply to the cut-off district is avoided.

To accomplish these objects. we employ a hollow casing adapted to besecured over the opening in the main. Within this casing is pivoted alever device for withdrawing the pipe connections from the main, and ascrewpressure device is also provided to insert and drive home the plug.This casing is watertight when closed, but is provided with a handho'leopening for access to the interior parts.-

The invention also comprises a device for guiding the screw and plug, soas to center the plug with the opening before the casing is closed, andin the various features of construction and operation of parts, ashereinafter described, shown in the accompanying drawings, andspecifically pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a vertical central section ofthe device, showing the main in transverse section and illustrating indotted lines the movements of the lever device for withdrawing the pipeconnection and of the plugging-screw. The guiding-sleeve and its mannerof centering the plugging-screw with the opening in the main is alsoshown in its place in vertical section. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thedevice. Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the sleeve-guide for theplugging-screw.

In the views. 1 is the water-main, which is provided with an opening 2into which the connection or ferrule 3 of a lead pipe 4: is secured.

Before placing the machine over the opening a short section of the leadtube is flattened and cut off at 5, leaving it attached to the ferruleor connection with the main, which is driven into the opening. A rubbergasket 7 is placed about the opening, and the saddle 8, having anopening 6, is placed thereon. The bottom opening 9 of the casing O isthen placed over the opening in the main, a gasket G making a tightjoint. The centering-sleeve 10, which is separable into two halves, isthen placed about the ferrule of the lead pipe and brought into exactline with the plug 11 and plugging-screw spindle 12 above, so that theplug will enter the opening when the screw is lowered. The spindle andferrule are centered by clamping ends of the sleeve 10 tightly upon themuntil they are in exact line by means of bolt 28. The screw 12 passesthrough a nut 13 at the top of the casing and the nut is rotated bymeans of the hand-wheel 14, a stuffing-box B in the wall of the casingpreventing leakage about the screw-spindle. spindle 12 is centered inrelation to the nozzle of the lead pipe the machine is attached rigidlyto the main by means of chains 15 and bolts 16. The guiding-sleeve 10 isthen unclamped and removed through the opening 17 in the side of thecasing, and a hook 18 upon the lever 19, pivoted at 20 in the casing, isclamped about the ferrule. The ferrule of the lead pipe is then loosenedby tapping it with a hammer, and it is held from. rising by a secondperson holding the lever 22, which is outside of the machine and isattached to the pivot-shaft 20. This prevents the water from issuingunder pressure until the side opening in the casing is closed. The cover23 is then bolted tightly in place, thus sealing the casing. The outsidelever is then raised, lifting the ferrule from the opening in the Assoon as the screw- TIO main, and, if necessary, bending the short end ofthe pipe, which is flexible and will not afford much resistance. Thenozzle is lifted far enough to take it out of the path of the plugabove. The next step in the use of the machine is to lower the screw bymeans of the hand-wheel upon the nut until the plug enters the openingin the main and to force it thereby tightly into place. To. be certainthat no leak remains before removing the screw, the small cock 25 isturned and the pressure in the casing relieved. If no further pressureis found, the plugging has been successful. The machine can then beremoved from the main for further use, and the plug is detached from thespindle, a pin P being a simple fastening device therefor.

Having described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a device adapted to operate as set forth upon a water-main havingan opening, and a pipe connection secured therein, in combinationinstrumentalities for withdrawing said connection and for inserting aplug in said opening, and a water-tight casing inclosing the inner partsof said instrumentalities, substantially as described.

2. In a device adapted to operate in the manner set forth upon a mainprovided with an opening, and the ferrule connection of a pipe insertedtherein, in combination a watertight casing provided with anopeningadapted to register with the opening in the main, and throughwhich the ferrule projects, and with a hand-hole and cover, means forsecuring said casing to the said main, a lever device operatable fromthe exterior of the casing, and provided with a device for engaging thesaid ferrule and by means of which it is detached. a plug andpressure-screw in the easing, a nut upon said screw arranged to lowerthe same and to insert said plug into said opening in the main, and acentering device for said screw and plug, substantially as described.

3. In a device adapted to operate as described upon a water-mainprovided with an opening, and a water-pipe ferrule inserted therein, incombination a water-tight casing rigidly secured over said opening andhaving an opening in its bottom over the opening in the pipe, and ahand-hole opening in its side, a pivot-shaft in the casing and interiorand exterior levers thereon, a clamping-hook upon the interior leveradapted to engage the water-pipe and ferrule, a screw passing throughthe top of the casing and a plug detachably secured thereto, means forraising and lowering said screw accessible from the exterior of saidcasing, and for alining said screw with the opening in the main,substantially as set forth.

4. A device adapted to operate in the manner set forth upon a mainhaving an opening and the ferrule of a lead pipe inserted therein,comprising in combination a casing upon the main, detachably securedthereto and provided with an opening through which said nozzlestantially as described.

5. A device adapted to operate in the manner set forth upon a mainhaving an opening, and the ferrule of a branch pipe inserted therein,comprising in combination a watertight casing, having an opening throughwhich said ferrule projects, a device for lifting out the ferrule, saiddevice being operatable from outside of the casing, a screw-spindlehaving a plug detachably secured to its inner extremity andlongitudinally and vertically adjustable in the wall of said casing, anda device for centering said screw and plug'relatively with the openingin the main, consisting of a longitudinally-divided sleeve, theextremities of which are adapted to grasp the said spindle and nozzlerespectively, and means for detachably securing said sleeve in place,substantially as described.

6. A device adapted to operate in the manner described upon a water-mainhaving an opening, and the ferrule of a side connection therein,comprising in combination a watertight casing upon the main, and havingan opening over the ferrule, instrumentalities for raising said ferrulefrom the opening in the main, said instrumentalities being operatablefrom the outside of the casing, a vertically-movable spindle in the wallof the casing, and a plug detachably secured to the inner end thereof,the said casing being provided with an opening through which the ferrulecan be primarily loosened, and a removable cover therefor.

In testimony whereof we set our hands this 29th day of May, 1905.

WILLIAM B. DALEY. WINDSOR E. RICHARDS. Witnesses:

WM. M. MONROE, GEO. S. COLE.

